US9424762B2 - Cling print system - Google Patents

Abstract

A label assembly including a label having a top surface and a bottom surface opposite the top surface, where the top surface includes indicia printed thereupon, and a layer of a first adhesive is coated on the bottom surface. The label assembly also includes a dome cover coupled to the label, the dome cover being formed of a substantially transparent material and having an underside, where a layer of a second adhesive is coated on the underside, the second adhesive having a greater holding capability than the first adhesive.

Description

CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

This patent application claims priority to U.S. Provisional Patent Application No. 61/326,316, filed Apr. 21, 2010. The present patent application also claims priority to U.S. Provisional Patent Application No. 61/421,488, filed Dec. 9, 2010. Each of the above referenced applications is hereby incorporated by reference.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to a re-usable sign system.

BACKGROUND

Food buffets often include labels or other means of identification so patrons can quickly and easily identify the various food items present. Maintaining the accuracy of the labels can often be difficult, especially in situations where the menu or food selection changes on regular basis. These changes often require the owners to repeatedly re-arrange existing labels and create new labels to correspond with the updated food choices. In addition, aesthetically pleasing displays are often desired to provide a professional, clean look for the buffet.

SUMMARY

In one aspect, this invention provides a label assembly. The label assembly including a label having a top surface and a bottom surface opposite the top surface, where the top surface includes indicia printed thereupon, and a layer of a first adhesive is coated on the bottom surface. The first adhesive having a first holding capability. The label assembly also includes a dome cover coupled to the label, the dome cover being formed of a substantially transparent material and having an underside, where a layer of a second adhesive is coated on the underside, the second adhesive having a second holding capability greater than the first holding capability.

In another aspect, this invention includes a kit for creating reusable label assemblies having indicia thereon. The kit including one or more sheets of label stock, one or more dome covers, a label removal tool, one or more backing plates, and a storage apparatus.

In still another aspect, this invention includes a method of creating a reusable label assembly. The method including placing a sheet of label stock in a printing apparatus, printing indicia on the top surface of the label stock, dividing the label stock into multiple labels, obtaining a dome cover, and applying the dome cover to a top surface of a corresponding label to create a label assembly.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a label assembly placed on a backing plate.

FIG. 2 is an exploded view of the label assembly and backing plate ofFIG. 1.

FIG. 3 is a section view taken along line3-3 ofFIG. 1.

FIG. 4 is a front view of a piece of label stock.

FIG. 5 illustrates various sizes and shapes of the labels.

FIG. 6 illustrates various patterns that may be pre-printed on a label.

FIG. 7 is a perspective view of a storage binder for the label assemblies.

FIGS. 8a-8billustrate a frame with a label assembly and backing plate coupled thereto.

FIG. 9 illustrates an alternative embodiment of the frame with a label assembly and backing plate coupled thereto.

FIG. 10 is a top view of a tool for removing the labels shown in the previous Figs.

FIG. 11 is a perspective view of the tool ofFIG. 10.

FIG. 12 is a screen shot of a submenu of one embodiment of a software program for printing on the labels shown in the previous FIGS.

FIG. 13 is a screen shot of a “Select Document Type” window of the software program ofFIG. 12.

FIG. 14 is a screen shot of a blank template of the software program ofFIG. 12.

FIG. 15 is a screen shot of a “Format Text” window of the software program of FIG.

It should be understood that the invention is not limited in its application to the details of construction and the arrangements of the components set forth in the following description or illustrated in the above-described drawings. The invention is capable of other embodiments and of being practiced or being carried out in various ways.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

FIGS. 1-11 illustrate the various items contained within a reusable signage system orkit10. Thekit10 contains the materials necessary to create, store, and display multiple,reusable label assemblies14, each of which can be used to identify a particular food item in a buffet. Thelabel assemblies14 are configured to be easily created, applied, removed, and re-applied, as necessary, so the signage can be altered to correspond to the food items present for a particular meal. In the present invention, thekit10 includes multiple sheets oflabel stock18, a plurality of dome covers22, a storage apparatus orbinder26, alabel removal tool30, and various forms ofbacking plates34. Although the present invention includes each of the above items, in alternate constructions, more or fewer items may be included in thekit10 as necessary.

In the illustrated construction, eachlabel assembly14 includes anindividual label38 from the stock18 (described below) and adome22 coupled to thelabel38. During use, thelabel assembly14 acts as a unit, whereby thelabel38 anddome22 are placed on, and removed from, a support surface together. In alternate constructions, eachlabel assembly14 may include additional layers, such assupplemental domes22,labels38, and the like, to produce a desired aesthetic appearance.

Illustrated inFIG. 4, thestock18 is preferably a piece of Mylar (PET) that has been coated with a print receptive coating, however in alternate constructions, other forms of adhesive sheeting may be used. Thestock18 includes atop surface42 and abottom surface46 opposite thetop surface42. Thestock18 is formed from material having the proper size, shape, thickness, and flexibility for use in most common desktop printers, such as an inkjet or laser style printer. To aid the printing process (described below) thestock18 is typically formed in one of the many standardized paper stock sizes, such as, but not limited to, #10 Envelope, A4, Legal, Letter, and the like. When available, thestock18 is preferably sized so it can be fed through the straight pass portion of a printer, eliminating unnecessary bending of thestock18 and minimizing the chances of jamming the printer.

Thetop surface42 of thestock18 is treated or coated so that indicia, such as logos, text, pictures, and the like may be printed thereon, preferably with a standard desktop printer. Thestock18 illustrated herein includes a plain, unmarkedtop surface42, however, in alternate embodiments, thetop surface42 may include preprinted designs, logos, pictures, patterns, backgrounds, and the like (seeFIG. 6). Furthermore, thestock18 may be formed from colored or textured material to create a desired aesthetic appearance. In still other constructions, clear or translucent material may be used for thestock18.

Thebottom surface46 of the stock18 (seeFIG. 3) has a reusable, pressure-sensitive adhesive applied thereon. Eachlabel38 may be peeled from a backing layer (not shown) or other release material and stuck to any one of abacking plate34, a saver binder page66 (described below), an acrylic sneeze guard (not shown), or additional materials having a glossy, non-porous surface, such as metal, painted surfaces, wood, plastic, and the like. In the present invention, the reusable, pressure-sensitive adhesive is formulated such that acorresponding label38 may be applied, removed, and re-applied multiple times (e.g., upwards of 100 cycles) to various surfaces before the adhesive begins to degrade. It is also preferred that thelabel38 can be removed cleanly from the substrate to which it has been attached without damaging or leaving gooey, dirty, stained, or otherwise undesirable texture on the substrate.

Thestock18 is typically die-cut intomultiple labels38, each of which can be individually removed and applied. Thelabels38 are preferably cut into standard sizes and shapes and may include, but are not limited to squares, ovals, circles, and the like (seeFIG. 5). It is preferred that thelabels38 are cut into thestock18 in a way that maximizes the number oflabels38 that can be produced from a particular sheet ofstock18, thereby minimizing waste. In alternate constructions, thelabels38 may form unique shapes, such as thematic designs (e.g., animals, flowers, hearts, etc.), logos, symbols, letters, numbers, or the like, for a more customized look. In still other constructions, thestock18 may remain uncut to form asingle label38.

Illustrated inFIGS. 1-3, eachdome cover22 is a piece of substantially transparent material which may be attached to thetop surface42 of acorresponding label38 to provide rigidity and protect any indicia on thetop surface42. Eachdome22 is generally formed from plastic (such as epoxy, a mixture of urethanes, or the like) and includes a pressure-sensitive adhesive on the underside thereof. This adhesive typically has stronger holding capability than the adhesive used on thebottom surface46 of thestock18. The plastic material of thedome22 should be sufficiently transparent so that, when thedome22 is coupled to thelabel38, any indicia printed on thetop surface42 can be clearly seen through thedome22 without excessive distortion or obfuscation. Furthermore, the plastic material used for thedome22 should be strong enough to resist breaking, hard enough to resist scratches, and should not discolor over time. The adhesive portion of thedome22 is typically attached to a suitable sheet of release paper (not shown) or other form of backing from which thedomes22 can be easily peeled away for application to thetop surface42 of alabel38.

Thedomes22 are typically formed in a shape substantially corresponding to the shape of thelabel38 to which they are to be adhered. Theupper surface50 of thedomes22 as illustrated with a somewhat rounded surface, however, thedomes22 may have any suitable shape consistent with the objects of the invention. Thus, thedomes22 may be flat, rounded, or have an uneven or textured surface. In addition to rigidity and protection, thedomes22 may also provide special effects (such as pearlescence, magnification, and the like). In some constructions thedomes22 may be pastel amber, blue, green or the like. In still other constructions, thedomes22 may have a logo, a design, or a pattern preprinted thereon.

Illustrated inFIG. 7, thekit10 also includes a storage apparatus orbinder26 for storing the unused orsurplus label assemblies14 when not in use. Thebinder26 includes abottom cover54, atop cover58 moveable with respect to thebottom cover54, a plurality of locking rings62 positioned between the top and bottom covers54,58, and a plurality ofpages66 positioned therein. The locking rings62 of thebinder26 are preferably spring-loaded (much like a typical 2-ring or 3-ring binder), and are configured to be received withinapertures74 defined by thepages66. Furthermore, the locking rings62 may be opened and closed by the user to add, remove, or re-arrange thepages66 of thestorage apparatus26, as necessary. Thebinder26 also includesside walls70 to allow the interior of thebinder26 to be substantially sealed from dust and dirt to help preserve thelabel assemblies14 stored therein. Thebinder26 may include one ormore locking tabs78 to lock thebinder26 when not in use.

Eachpage66 of thebinder26 includes one ormore apertures74, each corresponding to alocking ring62 of thebinder26. Thepages66 also include at least one coated or glossy surface to which thelabel assemblies14 can be applied between uses without damaging or excessively deteriorating the reusable adhesive. In the present invention, thepages66 include a PVC coating.

In some constructions, thebinder26 is organized such that thelabels14 can be easily located and categorized. More specifically, thebinder26 may include locating tabs, dividers, pockets, and the like (not shown). Thebinder26 may also include storage provisions for other aspects of thekit10, including but not limited to, an instruction manual, thebacking plates34, theremoval tool30, thestock18, the dome covers22, and the like.

Illustrated inFIGS. 1-3 and 8-9, thekit10 also includes one ormore backing plates34 to which one ormore label assemblies14 may be adhered to for rigidity and display. Eachbacking plate34 includes adisplay surface82 for thelabel assemblies14. This surface is preferably smooth and glossy and constructed so that it will not excessively deteriorate the re-usable adhesive of thelabel assemblies14. Thebacking plates34 are typically coupled to a frame86 (described below) or other form of support (e.g., a sneeze guard, a wall, a table, and the like) by any one of, but not limited to, double sided tape, magnetic tape, suction cups, reusable pressure-sensitive adhesive, cling foam, or other suitable fastening means. When adhesives are used, the holding power of the backing plate adhesive is preferably greater than that of the adhesives found on thestock18 and thedome cover22. Typically, thebacking plates34 are positioned so that thedisplay surface82, and anylabel assemblies14 adhered thereto, will be located in a prominent, easy to see place. In alternative constructions, thebacking plates34 may be permanently coupled to a supporting surface through appropriate fastening means.

Thebacking plate34 may include abeveled edge90 stamped or otherwise formed into theplate34 along at least a portion of the periphery to give the backing plate34 a finished and aesthetically pleasing look. Thebacking plate34 may also include logos, patterns, textures, and the like, which may be carved, pressed, molded, or otherwise formed on theplate34.

Eachbacking plate34 is formed from a substantially rigid material (e.g., metal, acrylic or other plastic materials) and is typically polished or coated to a jewel-like finish. Thebacking plate34 is preferably formed in a typical shape, such as a rectangle, oval, or circle, or it may have a less typical form; and it may or may not correspond to the shapes of the corresponding label assemblies14 (seeFIG. 1). Thebacking plate34 may also be formed in unique shapes, such as numbers, letters, logos, animals, etc.

As shown inFIG. 8aaframe86ais shown, which is a self-supporting structure, which can be placed upon a substantially horizontal surface (e.g., a table top) to position thecorresponding label assembly14 in a substantially vertical or upright position. For example, illustrated inFIG. 8a, theframe86aincludes a substantially “inverted-V” shape having afirst leg94, asecond leg98, placed at an angle with respect to thefirst leg94, and abacking plate34 coupled to the first leg94 (as described above) for display. Alternatively, thebacking plate34 may be formed integrally with thefirst leg94 of theframe86a. In another construction, abacking plate34 may be coupled to both the first andsecond legs94,98. Also, theframe86amay include alternate forms and shapes (e.g., cube-shaped, pyramid-shaped, etc.).

FIG. 9 shows a second embodiment of theframe86b. Here, theframe86bis configured to be hung from an object such as a hook, door knob, and the like. For example, as illustrated inFIG. 9, theframe86bincludes a chain or loop ofmaterial102 coupled to thebacking plate86b. In still other constructions, theframe86bmay include a hook, clamp, or lanyard.

As illustrated inFIGS. 10 and 11, thekit10 also includes aremoval tool30, which includes ahandle portion106, and ablade portion110, extending from thehandle portion106. Theblade portion110 is shaped and contoured such that it can be positioned (e.g., wedged) between thelabel assembly14 and the surface to which thelabel assembly14 is adhered (e.g., abacking plate34, sneeze guard, and the like) to separate the two items without excessively damaging the adhesive on thebottom surface46 of thelabel38. Theblade portion110 includes abeveled edge114 along at least a portion of its periphery, which allows the edge to be easily inserted between the items. In the illustrated construction, theblade portion110 is substantially diamond shaped, but various other suitable shapes can be used where desired.

Although not illustrated, thekit10 may also include the rights to use, or an electronic copy of, a computer software program for generating the text and graphics (hereafter “badge indicia”) for thetop surface42 of thelabels38. The program enables a user to generate and print customized badge indicia and apply it to a piece ofstock18 through a desktop printer. The program uses profile files to define the content and layout of the badge indicia. The content includes text fields and image fields (e.g., quantity and type of each). The layout includes the positioning and size of the fields, as well as the font of the text fields on thetop surface42 of thestock18. The profile files are provided by the manufacturer or can be created by a user via a profile creation program. A user inputs data (e.g., name, department, etc.) into the program for a plurality of badges based on a chosen profile. The entered data can be saved, merged, or exported to memory (e.g., a hard drive). The data then can be printed onto thestock18. Additional details of the software program can be found in U.S. patent application Ser. No. 12/718,827, the contents of which are hereby incorporated by reference.

To create customized badge indicia, the user first opens the appropriate word processing program (e.g., Microsoft® Word). The user then right-clicks on the screen causing asubmenu118 to open (seeFIG. 12). The user mouses down to the “Cling [Label] Print” selection causing a secondary submenu122 to open. The user selects “New Document” from the secondary submenu122, thereby causing a “New Document Type”window126 to open.Window126 lists a number of pre-fabricated or user-fabricated document templates130 (seeFIG. 13). After the user selects a template style that generally corresponds to thestock18 loaded into the printer, ablank label template134 will open (seeFIG. 14). The user may then enter the proper information into therelevant entry locations138. Once complete, the user may choose to print the created badge indicia onto thestock18 or save the document for future use.

To modify the format of the text, the user right-clicks on thescreen causing submenu118 to open (seeFIG. 12). The user then mouses down to the “Cling [Label] Print” selection, causing a secondary submenu122 to open. The user selects “Format Text” from the secondary submenu122, causing a “Format Text”window142 to open (seeFIG. 15). The user may then change various text properties, such as, but not limited to bold type, italics, underline, font, size, and the like. The user then selects “OK” to apply the changes to the selected text.

To print badge indicia onto alabel38, a standard desktop printer is set to accept the size of the cling stock14 (e.g., #10 Envelope). The cling stock is loaded into the printer, making sure to properly orient thestock14 so that the badge indicia will be printed onto thetop surface42. The user uploads, creates, or otherwise prepares the badge indicia for printing onto thetop surface42 of thestock18. While creating the badge indicia, the user may utilize any number of pre-existing computer programs (e.g., Microsoft Word, Print Shop, and the like) or the user may utilize the above-described software program when available to properly position and size the text. Thestock18 is fed through the printer and the badge indicia is printed onto thetop surface42 of each of the corresponding labels38. It is not necessary to print badge indicia on everylabel38 of a particular piece ofstock18 in a single pass. Rather, the user may save the remaining orunused labels38 for use at a later time.

To cover the printed labels and thereby form thelabel assembly14, the user selects adome22 corresponding to the size and shape of thelabel38 they wish to cover. The selecteddome22 is removed from a backing sheet (not shown) and aligned with thelabel38 using the die-cut lines as guides. Thedome22 is applied to thetop surface42 of thelabel38, making sure to eliminate any air bubbles as the two are adhered to one another, thereby creating alabel assembly14.

To apply thelabel assembly14 to a support surface (such as abacking plate34, apage66 of thebinder26, or a sneeze guard), thelabel assembly14 is removed gently from the release paper in a manner that assures that excessive stretching or otherwise excessive handling of the media is avoided. Then thelabel assembly14 is aligned with the surface to which it is to be applied and care is taken to make sure that the surface is clean by the removal of any grease, residue, soot, or dust that may be present. Thelabel assembly14 is then applied to the surface.

To remove thelabel assembly14 from a surface, theblade portion110 of theremoval tool30 is placed proximate to an edge of thelabel assembly14, and the blade is slid between thebottom surface46 of thelabel assembly14 and the surface to which thelabel14 is adhered. The tool is gently moved towards the center of thelabel assembly14 so that it peels thelabel assembly14 from the surface without damaging thelabel14. Once a sufficient amount of thelabel assembly14 is peeled away, it may be grasped by the edges and removed entirely from the surface.

Claims (12)

The invention claimed is:

1. A kit for creating reusable label assemblies having indicia thereon, the kit comprising:

one or more sheets of label stock collectively defining a plurality of labels, where at least one label differs from another label of the plurality of labels by at least one of size or shape, a bottom surface of the one or more sheets of label stock including a reusable adhesive having a first holding capability;

a plurality of dome covers, each being formed of a substantially transparent material and having an underside, wherein a layer of a second adhesive is coated on the underside, the second adhesive being a pressure-sensitive adhesive having a second holding capability greater than the first holding capability, and wherein at least one dome cover differs from another dome cover of the plurality of dome covers by at least one of size or shape;

at least one backing plate; and

a storage apparatus.

2. The kit ofclaim 1, wherein the storage apparatus includes a binder, wherein the binder includes the at least one page, and wherein each page includes at least one coated or glossy surface.

3. The kit ofclaim 1, further comprising a label removal tool, and wherein the label removal tool includes a handle and a blade.

4. The kit ofclaim 1, wherein at least a portion of the backing plates are coupled to a frame.

5. The kit ofclaim 4, wherein the frame includes at least one of a self supporting structure and a chain.

6. The kit ofclaim 1, further comprising an electronic copy of a software program for generating the indicia.

7. A method of creating a reusable label assembly configured to be removably coupled to a support surface, the method comprising:

placing one or more sheets of label stock in a printing apparatus, a bottom surface of the one or more sheets of label stock including a reusable adhesive having a first holding capability between the adhesive and the support surface;

printing indicia on the top surface of the one or more sheets of label stock;

dividing the one or more sheets of label stock into a plurality of labels, wherein at least one label differs from another label of the plurality of labels by at least one of size or shape;

providing a plurality of dome covers, each dome cover being formed of a substantially transparent material and having an underside, wherein a layer of a second adhesive is coated on the underside, the second adhesive being a pressure-sensitive adhesive having a second holding capability greater than the first holding capability, and wherein at least one dome cover differs from another dome cover of the plurality of dome covers by at least one of size or shape; and

applying a dome cover of the plurality of dome covers to a top surface of a corresponding label of the plurality of labels to create a label assembly.

8. The method ofclaim 7, wherein dividing the one or more sheets of label stock into a plurality of labels includes die cutting at least one page of the label stock.

9. The method ofclaim 7, wherein applying a dome cover includes applying a dome cover having a size and shape substantially corresponding to the size and shape of the corresponding label.

10. The method ofclaim 7, further comprising:

removing the label assembly from the label stock; and

applying the surface of the label assembly having the reusable adhesive to a backing plate.

11. The method ofclaim 7, further comprising exposing the reusable adhesive on a back surface of an individual one of the multiple labels.

12. The method ofclaim 7, wherein applying the dome cover includes permanently attaching the dome cover to the corresponding label with the second adhesive, the second adhesive being a permanent adhesive.

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